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$.71. KLEiN. ELEcmlCswncH. l APPLICATION FILE'D'MAR. 11.1914.

115,312,550'` 'Patented Auw. 12,1919.

4 vga/19, v 2

, Milwaukee,

.3, 4 thereon adapted to cHAnLEs J. KLEIN, or MILWAUKEE, wrsco MFG'. G0., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATIQON OF' WISCONSIN.

' ELECTRIC;v SWITCH.

Specification of Iietterslatent. i Patented Aug'. 12, 1919.

Applicationl med March 11, 1914. serial No. 824,003.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES J.' KLEIN, a citizen of the in vthe county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented Vnew and -useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is a full, 1clear ,con cise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to electric switches.

One of the objects of the invention isto provide an improved means for' electing snap actuation-of a movable circuit controlling member. A further object of the inventionl to provide acompact and efficient snap switch mechanism of the push-button'type, wherein a movable -circuit `controlling `member is adapted to; close circuit in a4 plurality off positions and to opencircuit inan-other posltion. j v

vFurther. objects and advantages will appear hereinafter in connection with the description of a preferred embodiment. of my invention shown in the accompanying draw-- ing, wherein,

-Figure .1 is a plan view of the operating andoperated parts of a switch mechanism;

Fig. Q is an exploded view of the same, 1n sect1on;. 1

Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofthe lpartsas-` sembled;l l

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of one side of the parts shown in Fig. 1;- and,. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the switch mechanrsm incorporated in a receptacle.

The switch mechanism illustrated comrises, in general, a contact carrying mem- Eer 1 reciprocablein either directionV with` a snap movement under theinfluence of resilient means responsive'to movement of `a reciprocatingV operating f member 2.

Referringmo're specifically to the drawing, the contact carrying member :1 cornprises a rectangular blockof insulating material having one or more conducting plates complete circuit etween corresponding pairs of stationary contacts, as will be described. The block 1 is provided with -a longitudinal bore 5 which is contracted? at' one end beyond a shoulder 6.- 'The actuating parts of the-.switch mechanism are designed to lie withinthe bore 5 of -United States, residing at tioned in the bore 5 suchthat, with held 4against `-Wardly the washer .ofthese notches are the contact carrying member. are clearly shown in Fig. 2 and comprise, from right to left, push-button 7,'the block Al, a! loose washer 8, a coil spring9, a second loose washer 10, a collar 11, and a shaft y12 carrying a push button 13. In assembling' these` parts, thewasher 8- is first posiofthe block to rest against the shoulder '6 thereof. The spring 9 and second washer 10/are, lin turn, next inserted within the bore.v and the collar 11 thereuponiitted. in the open end and secured vby a pin, or other `suitable means. Finally the j axially through the Vpar-ts and screwed into the opposite push-button -71 v'The actuating mechanism by the contact carryingl member, and the operating and voperated members constitute a vremovable unit.A

The arangementof. the parts described is the contact carrying member -movernent, pressure on the right push-button 7 (Fig. j3) forces in- 8 and compresses the spring 9 in one direction, while pressure on the vleft button 13 forces inwardlythe washer 10 and compresses the spring in an oppositevdirection. The Washers 8 and 10 are held against outward displacement by engagement Vwith the shoulde'rf and the collarlll respectively.,

For'holding the contact-carrying member' againstmovement while energy isstored in fthe spring 9, thereis provided a .resilient -latching means; As illustrated, this latching means comprises two resilient lingers 14 and having curved extremities 15 adapted to fit within correspondingly shaped notches 16 on the sides of the block. Three pairs shown, .those on opposite sides being transversely alinedv and the pairsbeing vequi-distan'tly spaced. In practice, the notches 16 are provided in the plates 3 ander. The conducting plate v3, above mentioned, is' fixed on one side of the block and is of equal length therewith. The s econd conducting plate 4 is fixed on theI other side of the block and provided with a. contacting surface over substantially one half of the side.

, These parts i NSIN, AssIGNon. To THE cUTLEn-n-Avrivrnn' Y operating shaft`12 is projected of the switchl `is thus inclosed v*biased againstjopposite'sides of the block Two stationary contaets 17 are mounted at one side of the block biased againstthe y cuit is thus completed with a snap movev block and adapted to electrically engage the movable contact 3. A second pair of stationary contacts 19 are mounted on the opposite side of the block and provided with resilient extremities biased against the block and adapted to electrically engage the other movable contact 4. In the embodiment shown the resilient latching fingers 14 are formed vintegrally with the left contacts 17 and 19 in order to economize space and cheapen the cost of manufacture of the device. The shape and relation of the contact plates and stationary contacts are clearly shown in Fig. 4. The contact fingers 17 and 19 also tend to guide movement of the contact carrying member when actuated.

In Fig. 5 the mechanismdescribed is shown incorporated in a surface receptacle comprising a base 2O having a central chamber 21 for the switch parts and alined recesses 22 Ain opposite walls to accommodate the push-buttons. The movable parts of the switch are supported in position by angle frames 28 secured to the base 20 at opposite ends of the chamber and having apertures through which the push-buttons reciprocate.

The stationary contacts 17 and 19 are fixed to the base at the ends of the chamber and provided with binding screws 24 and 25 for connection with line wires adapted to enter the receptacle through adjacent apertures 26 and 27 respectively.

. siliency of the spring 9 and the resiliency of the latching fingers 14 are so proportioned that when the contact carrying member is moved, the energy stored in the spring 9 is substantially dissipated during a relatively short movement of the block. Consequently, when the neXt adjacent pair of notches 16 in the latter register with 'the finger extremities 15, the latching devices snap therein and again hold' the block stationary. Cirment between the stationary contacts 17 across the conducting plate 3.. Further pressure on the left push-button imparts a secondY snap. progression to the contact carrying member in a manner similar to that described, unt-il the latching fingers enter the end notches 16 and a second circuit is completed between the stationary contacts 19 across the conducting plate 4: circuit between the contacts 17 remaining closed. Pressure on the right push-button effects a step-by-step progression of the `contact The Barabba carrying member in lthe opposite direction in. a similar manner. The switch mechanism is thus adapted to control a plurality of circuits in a commutating relation whereby the circuits are successively closed and successively opened. It is obvious that the mechanism is adapted to control more than two circuits if desired by the provision of additional notches and contact faces on the block and corresponding stationary contacts on the base. It is further obvious that the mechanism is adapted to make and break a single circuit in opposite extreme positions of the contact carrying member by the provision on the latter of a single contact portion.

In practice, the contacts 3 and 4 are eX- tended slightly beyond the notches 16 so that circuit is broken on flat surfaces between the corresponding pairs of stationary contacts 'after movement of the contact carrying member has been accelerated. It is also to be noted that a slight movement of either push-button is possible without moving the contact carrying member, and accordingly an accidental overthrow of the operating member does not cause an overthrow of the contact carrying member. Due to the proportional resiliency of the actuating spring andthe latching means, release of the contact lcarrying member is effected solely by compression of the energy storing spring without the provision of positive tripping means for the latch.

It is apparent, also, that the contact- 100 carrying member is movable in either direction from its intermediate position, that is,`

circuit may be opened and closed between ers mounted on said operating member between said shoulders, an energy storing spring surrounding said operating member between said washers, and releasable restraining means for permitting the actuation in either direction by said operating member of said contact carrying member by a step-by-step movement in the same directlon.

2.. In an electric switch, in combination, a reclprocable contact carrying member havving a bore and a pair of counterbored inwardly facing shoulders, a relatively movable shouldered operating member extending through said bore, a. pair of loose washs rin(r surrounding said ooeratin memberl D b C between said Washers, and resilient restraining nieansbiased to engage saidcontact carryingineinbcr for lioldii'ig the saine in any accumulated energy of said spring over the one of a plurality of predetermined positions p and `releasing the same for permitting al snap movement thereof to the succeeding position only upon a preponderance in the restraining force of said means. 3. In an electric switch, in combination, a reciprocable operating member, a relatively movable contact member having spaced periplieral notches, a resilient member biased against `said contact member and normally disposed in one `of the notches thereof for holding the same against movement, and resilient means responsive to said .operating member for imparting a snap movement to saidcontact niemberrin either direction.-

4;. Inan electric switclnin combination, a reciprocable operating member, la relatively movable contact meinberlia'ving spaced peripheral notches, a stationaryv contact hav,- ing a resilient extremity biased against said contact member and normally disposed in onel of the notches thereof. for holding the same against movement, and resilient means responsive t0 movement of said operating member for releasing said stationary contact from itsA initial registering -notcli and \imparting a snap movement lto said contact member to a Iposition where an adjacent notclrthereof is engagedy by said's'tationary 5.L In an electric switch, in combination, a reciprocable operating member, a relatively recipro'cable operated .member having spaced shoulders, stationary contacts having resilieiit extremities to engage said shoulders for releasably restraining saidy operated member against movement,- and an energ receiving and storing connection between said members to overcome the restraint of said operated member and to. impart accelerated movement to the same to anotherv restrained position, said operated member having conducting parts on certain of said shoulders thereof with substantially flat portions extending intermediate said shoulders whereby circuit is broken between said stationary contacts and said conducting parts after accelerated 'movement of said operated member. l t

InA witness whereof, I have hereunto subv scribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

CHARLES J. KLEIN.

Witnesses: l

II. WATSON, TEKLA' BAs'r. 

